The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-31
TRIED TO KILL A DETECTIVE
Pete McCartney's Desperate Attempt in
st. Louis to Get Rid of a Pursuer.
How His Plot Was Thwarted by Timely In
reference of the Police, Resulting in the
Capture of the Notorious C0unterfeiter.

City prison, after serving a term of fifteen
years and his immediate arrest for trial at
Spring feld, ILL.,, on old charge, has brought
recollection many remarkably interesting in
lidents in the criminal of .the King of
Eoniakers" One Of his most daring ventures
was in ST. Louis in 1875, when he came near be-
ng killed On the night of Dec. 10 he was cap
ured in thatcity, by accident, by police officers,
after fight in which he shot and an officer
IF the United States secret service was nearly
Iut to pieces. and escaped from the Jail after
wards while waiting trial. In relating the story
Of the fight, the st. Louis GlobeDemocrat says
that he was then wanted by tie United
States detectives for passing counter
felt money about Mattoon and Neoga ILL.,, and
secret-service had been hunting him
through that State. This detective. Charles
Watts, finally found Mccartney in Kansas City,
travelling with two partners. one of them called
1.-The Hoosier," whose real name was Robert S.
Wilmer, and the other, to this day unknown by
the detectives in any criminal gang, although
his name was Robert S. Rankin The detective
made the acquaintance Of the three counter
letters, and then, instead of arresting Mozart
ney, undertook TO join the gang and watch their
operations while he travelled with them. until
he could obtain enough evidence to convict all
three.
He weat about with them in Kansas City until
he thought that he had gained their confidence.
But they had fathomed his plan and were clev-
erer than he was The three pretended to be-
countrymau who had just fallen heir to some
money made about himself, and one night in a
burst of confidence, they told him who they
were, and offered TO place him in the way of
doubling his modest fortune by handling some
of their money. The farmer consented. and
wanted to buy it then and there but the others
would not consent They proposed that the
party should go over to St Louis, hire a room
there. and then divicethe counterfeit money.
Mccartney had stout leather valise with
him. the key hole soldered up and he convinced
the detective that this was full OF the stuff the
gang were making. The detective accepted the
proposition, and the four started for St Louis
Mccartney carrying the valise. The counter
letters, on their way to st. Louis, agreed upon
this plan: They would hire a room in
quiet part Of the city. take Detective Watts into
it, and while they were discussing the sale of
the counterfeit money, one of them would sand
bag him noiselessly, and the gang would escape.
leaving the body locked up in the room. This
Afterward all TRANSFERRED through the converse
tion of the counterfeiters.
Wilmer, who to brain the detective, got a
big stone and tied II up in his handkerchief, in
lending to use il as slung-shot. Mccartney
was armed with knife Detective Watts had
. revolver. with which he intended to arrest the
whole gang as soon as he saw the counterfeit
money. The detective, however. was ignorant
Of the murderous intentions of the other three,
while they knew his plan and he fell readily
into the trap they laid for him. When
they got into St Louis they got off
the train in the western suburbs and
Coming to Market street, they boarding
house sign swinging in front OF No. 2845. They
went in and asked for a room, and were assigned
the second floor, which they entered.
None of the party knew that police-station
was within q few doors of them and the three
counterfeiters believed that they had found just
the quiet place they wanted for the little job
they contemplated.
1t was the night of a charity ball. and there
were, consequently, more policemen about the
station than usual
The three counterfeiters and the farmer detec-
tive sat MP stairs in their room talking for some
time about the bargain they were going TO make
Mccartney rs valise, stuffed with brown paper,
was on the floor in their midst About 10 o'clock
the four came to an agreement about the trans
fer Of the counterfeit money, and Mccartney
picked up the valise and put it the table.
When he opened it his companions were to at
tack the detective, and the detective intended to
arrest the gang the lock sprung.
Mccartney took a candle from the mantelpiece
and put it on the table. and then held the lock
of the valise over it to melt tine solder The
detective forestalled the assasslns AS McCart-
Dey glanced from the vallse TO him and then at
his companions, the detective drew his pistol
and leveled it at them. Before he could declare
his purpose all three of the desperate men were
upon him, the Hoosier with slung-shot, and Nc
Cartney and Rankin with knives
The detective fired one SHOT at Mccartney,
and then went down beneath the weight of the
three bodies, shouting for help as he fred. The
uproar startled the police near by and they
started for the house, guided to the room by ths
cries of the detective and another shot. which
he fired while the counterfeiters beat and
stabbed him. Rankin heard the police clubs
outside. and started for the sidewalk carrying
the lamp In his hand. AS he went down he met
. policeman named Fitzgerald rushing up
Take this lamp. officer. and go right up"
said the audacious criminal there's HI to pay
in that ROOM" and placing the light in the hands
of the astonished policeman, ne disappeared into
the street. Before Fitzgerald could recover his
self possession, Erskine and Leslie, two other
policemen passed him the stairs. Seeing
the struggling men on the floor, officer Leslie
fired straight at Mccartney, and he and Erskine
MI
brought light. and Mccartney surrendered at
Onee when he saw the buttons of the
officers. The Hoosier hid under the bed, where
be was found few minutes atterward. All
three men were then taken into the police
ton and doctors were summoned. Mccartney
had been shot in the left side and detective
Watts had been beaten and cut until he was al
most lifeless. He was strong enough, however.
to tell the policemen around that Deputy United
States Marshal Wheeler could identify him
an employe of the government, and that the
wounded man lying the floor the
torious Pete Mccartney, the counterfeiter Nc
CARNEY was grooming, as If in great pain, and
whenever any one attempted to turn him over
he would shrek At last, Hes got to be
searched said officer McDonough. who had just
como in turn him over gently possible"
This was done, and then it was clear VIII y Nc
Cartney didn't want to be turned over In his
hip pocket he had roll of 81 $50 in finely ex-
ecuted So Chicago National Bank notes Be-
sides this. he and the Hoosier had about them
other counterfeit money. the whole amounting
to sc. 900. and $500 in genuine money. Mozart
ney was taken to the ST. Louis City Hospital,
and officer Erskine detailed to watch him
while he recovered One day when convalescent
Mccartney said to Erskine
"Thats fine revolver you've got Let's look
tit"
Erskn smiled, slipped the cylinder out of the
pistol and handed the harmless weapon to the
sounterfeiter pulling his billy out Of its sheath
At the time. Mccartney laughed and
handed the pistol back. On another occasion
Mccartney offered the officer $500 to take him
down TO Chestnut street and look in a store
window for moment Erskine laughed at
him, and few days after that his ward in
the city Jail with the Hoosier. The two staid
there only a short time. Both were freely sup
piled with money from friends outside and on
the night before their examination before
United States commissioner they broke Jail by
digging through the walls Of the cells and es-
capped with fifteen other prisoners.
The next news heard of Mccartney came from
IT,. L. o41.H